- The problem
- These vehicles were assembled with rear outboard safety belt anchorages that may not withstand the required load. This does not comply with fmvss no.210, "Seat belt assembly anchorages."
- The risk
- Consequence of non-compliance: in a collison, stress can cause the attachment metal to tear and allow the anchorage to separate from the body of the vehicle. The safety belt may not protect an occupant in the event of a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the existing anchor bolts with a new shoulder bolt and thread locking adhesive. Additionally, noise control patches will be applied at each anchorage.
Vehicle safety record
1990 Buick Century Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 33 complaints about the 1990 Buick Century with NHTSA, most often about the seats & seat belts (12) and the body, doors & structure (6). Those complaints describe 1 crash, 3 fires and 3 injuries. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in September 1995 for the anchorage. For comparison, the 1989 has 41 and the 1991 has 39.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Century year, for its age
#58 most complained-about 1990 vehicle
- Complaints
- 33
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 3
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 1990 Buick Century problems
Share of all 33 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
1990 Buick Century recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- The power seat or recliner wiring harness can be pinched or can chafe on the seat frame or spring support rod, wearing through the wire insulation and causing an electrical short.
- The risk
- The high current caused by the electrical short welds thecircuit breaker elements together in the closed position, leaving the circuitunprotected and generating sufficient heat to burn the wire insulation andignite the seat cushion material.
- The fix
- Repair any abraded wiring and reroute the wiring harness using a wiring harness clip.
What owners say
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33 complaints about the 1990 Buick Century
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 2.
Problems with vehicle's steering.*Mr stiffness in steering, sometimes consumer have to steer in neutral as it doesn't come back by itself. Sometimes it squeak while turning, no lock up has occurred yet. *Ph
Consumer states that while driving and without warning the engine blew and the vehicle started to smoke under the hood causing the consumer to pull over. Dealer notified. Mr
On wednesday 6/13/2002 my 1990 buick century lost steering control due to a failure in the cradle bolts.I could have been seriously injured.I have found the following recall which includes the 1990 buick regal, nhtsa recall no. 97V058/gm recall no. 97016. My vehicle is a 1990 buick century with 3300 v6 and is not listed in this recall.I believe the cradle bolt's in 1990 buick century's are also subject to failure, causing the same safety related issue motioned in this recall.My vehicle does have 202000 miles on it,...
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but this is the kind of failure should never have happened. I believe buick should repair my vehicle at their cost. I have found two other complaint about the same problem. I tried to issued a complaint the hntsa on 6/21/2002 over the phone but it failed to get entered so here a try by email. Home email [email protected], work email [email protected], home phone 765-447-2782, work phone 765-429-1387. *Ak
Circuit breaker for seat in fuse compartment overheated, causing power seats and power door to be inoperative. Driver is unable to replace fuse because it was so hot, it burned. *Ak. Consumer states when he touched the correct fuse he was burned leaving a blister on his finger and thumb, consumer states he discovered there was a recall, however the dealer knew of the campaign but could not find consumers vehicle in the system.*Jb
While driving down the highway, I noticed that the front of car lurched and the steering wheel position changed. Pulled car to side and saw that part of frame was hanging down. Took to dealer who said that the cradle bolt had pulled through the support and was hanging down. Why wasn't my car on the recall campaign as the regal was? I am afraid that the other bolts will pull through and I will lose my directional steering ability. I have kept all defective parts for the nhtsa review. It appears that the metals...
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fussed or migrated together. Did buick use the two wrong metals in this area, causing this problem? Is their an active campaign for the century? Please feel free to contact me.*Ak
Motor fell to ground while pulling out. This damaged steering and car was out of control. *Ak
None of the power windows would open or close. Vehicle was taken to dealership. Two broken wires were reconnected at owner's expense. Please provide any further information. *Ak
While driving on road noticed vehicle pulling a sharp left. Looked at the cradles, and the retainer washer broke/was rusted through. Replaced it. Also, others needed to be replaced. In addition, rack & pinion steering assembly is connected to engine cradle frame and the steering shaft, dropped. This may cause erratic steering problems. *Ak
While driving down the road all of sudden the vehicle just shut off when making a stop or slowing down. Contacted dealer, and he was not able to find out what was wrong on the diagnosis machine. *Ak
During accident front bench seat latch failed causing the seat to collapse, right front passenger seat belt also became unlatched, resulting in injury. Nlm
BRAKES FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.
Paint started peeling away since 1993 and has gotten progressively worse.
The front driver's side split seat is coming loose from the floor. Has not seen dealer. *Ak
Vehicle stalled due to failure of the alternator.
SEAT BELTS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *AK
Every six months the electrical battery runs down, have to replace it . *Ak
RADIATOR COOLING FAN REPLACED.
REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED TWICE.
Recall on the seat belt denied due to wrong information (vin #) on the mail out .
Carburetor backfired starting a fire, the electrical fuel pump continues to pump fuel, causing the car to completely burn.
Failure of the driver side seat, the seat is reclined to the back position.*Ak the driver's side seat travels on rails back and foward, while drving a metal bracket on the left side, that anchored the seat to the floor broke in half, therefore making the seat as a whole tilt backward.*Jb
While driving, heard noise, within minutes, all power stopped, black smoke poured out from underhood, fire started coming from under vehicle, no warning. *Ak
Design flaw in seat belt that attaches to door, leaving occupant free to fall out of vehicle if door opens in accident. *Dh
Seat belt; failure on the driver and passenger side seat belts, consumer was in a accident and the driver and passenger side seat belt did not lock. *Ak
Transmission slipping due to metal chips found in pan/fluid burned. *Sd
Buick Century: every year compared
All Century years1990 Buick Century vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Buick Century | 33 | 2 | C | |
| 1990 Buick Regal | 80 | 9 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Lesabre | 50 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Reatta | 29 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Electra Park Ave | 20 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Skylark | 19 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Riviera | 17 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Estate | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1990 Buick Century
Does the 1990 Buick Century have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 1990 Buick Century: anchorage (September 1995); recliner (September 1992). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Buick Century?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the seats & seat belts (12), body, doors & structure (6), electrical system (4).
How many complaints has the 1990 Buick Century had?
33 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on April 12, 1995 and the latest on November 5, 2003. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 3 a fire, and together they report 3 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 1990 Buick Century a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 41 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Buick Century year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Buick Century years have the most complaints?
1999 (241), 1998 (228), 2000 (205). See every Buick Century year compared.
What should I do if my 1990 Buick Century has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data